Choice of the Petal Throne

For English speakers, it may take some time to get used to the accent marks. A world where Middle Eastern, Mesoamerican, and Indian cultures combine is very literal. However, the first third plays like any of the other numerous Choice of Games. You work your way through childhood studying your preferred stat, and make the rest of the choices based on the stat. Some interesting path diversions occur with the Gods. The first choice, which God do you worship, has the most effect on your plot. Choose wisely, because it has the most effect on how you play (well). Because of the differences in the way each God is handled, roleplayers will be able to do multiple runs. Single-run players are advised to consider their preferences. Gods are simple creatures, and about as broad-minded as Balkoth. The middle third plays like Choice of the Broadsides or Sabres of the Infinity. There's a war. You can't get out of it. The best route to take is to play to your chosen strength (read stat) and God. You can lose. On a positive note, the game provides some options for recovery. Not every loss or death need be permanent. The last third is Indiana Jones. You go splunking with your cohorts, meet a few demons, and steal artifacts. It is a dramatic change from the first two sections. There is more character-building. Many of the characters in the first two sections are non-descript, and if you saved/helped them, you aren't sure why you helped them. The last third helps explain. The game is nice, if short. If you're bored, hankering for a choose your adventure, and you need a jungle adventure/diplomacy checker/big plain battle, it works. It has some good descriptions about costumery, customs, and jewelery that fill out the world. The various Gods provide good replay. But, it isn't a very good introduction to this play-style. If you've never played a choose your own adventure, this isn't the first one you should pick up. Accent marks can be wearying. Stat specialists are encouraged. The entry into the world, ie. the first question, is very dependent on knowing the world. You can pick up some, read some, restart some, but maybe not enough. My advice for beginners or intermediary CYOA players is to wait. Play one of the medieval, napoleonic, or oriental adventures. If you like the other game and need more, this game is good.

CotPT is theoretically better than most of Choice of Games works - it has nice pacing and one of the best stats mechanism there - but it has too many cons for me and I really can't recommend it when looking at such great games as Hero-trilogy or Choice of Robots of the same developer. 1. It is too short. When finally something interesting was starting to happen, in the next slide there was an epilogue. The boast of "many thousands [can't remember] words novel" probably comes from different routes. Well, some people usually complaining about CoG games ("the choices don't matter at all to the story!") may be satisfied, however for me the story ended when it was just starting. 2. It has pretty big barrier of enterance - the setting is quasiprecolumbian America (Tekumel). Not many of us are familiar with it, and, what is REALLY ANNOYING, the author introduced a new quasiprecolumbian language which is EVERYWHERE and uses "Tekumelian" words in amount which made me wondering about what I'm reading. Yeah, it probably builds some atmosphere - but when you get used to it, the story ends (look at 1.). 3. The story is plain and simple (mild spoilers ahead) - creating some background of your character, then some battle, then some dungeon crawling with plot twist at end - and, well, that's all, plus some usual CoG romances. The characters are so shallow that even now I have problem to recoginze who is who. SUMMARY: IMHO it isn't CoG-style Choose Your Adventure game/novel - it's just Tekumel advertisement.

Ok so this is getting very negative review which I think are not entirely justified. I'll adrress a couple of points. 1) Yes, it's perhaps a bit shorter than average - but not teribely short. On the other hand, there's at least some replay possibility as various choices you make result is a somehow different play (not always a given in this kind of interactive fiction). You'll not get all scenes/events in a one playthrough. 2) The setting is more exotic than usual but I think that's a plus. I prefer it much more than a typical cliche fantasy. You can easliy pick up the meaning of setting-specific words from the context. 3) Choices of gender or patron deity do influence gameplay in some way rather than being merely cosmetic. Cool.

Here's the issue with the game: The writer clearly expects that you have done extensive research and have complete knowledge of this fictional world she's created before you've even started to play. Yes, the mechanics are good. Yes, the concept of the game taking place over a long time period is nice. Yes, the political drama is compelling. But none of it matters if you don't have a damn what's going on because the game refuses to explain to you in any meaningful way the ins and outs of the setting, instead just sort of silently patronizing you if you're not intelligent or high-cultured enough to instinctively and automatically understand it. Without a doubt, the worst game from Choice of Games so far.

Sometimes I have no idea who the characters or what rank do they hold. The world of Tekumel is just too much to be taken in for about an hour of something of gameplay. Too short and too confusing. Not gonna invest much time just to learn about Tekumel. Sorry Choice of Games, Empire of Petal Throne is just too petal for me. -2/10 Wouldnt dwell in World of Tekumel for too long for my own sake.

Empire of the Petal Throne was the first RPG ever published, back in 1975. I first played the tabletop game in 1976, when I was 11 years old, and the unique setting was daunting, and alien. Choice of the Petal Throne is an excellent and immersive introduction to the unique setting, and I finished my first playthrough wanting more.

I like most of the choice of games. But not this one, the names and titles are confusing, im not sure who is who. And the games feels way to short.

Несмотря на отрицательные отзывы в стиме, я считаю, что данная интерактивная книга довольно хороша. Интересная и достаточно глубокая. Определённо получше некоторых. Справки по понятиям хороши и уместны, помогают понять вещи несмотря на то, что с оригиналом мне ознакомиться не доводилось. Книга приятная и я не жалею о покупке. И можете минусовать этот обзор сколько хотите. Моё мнение не изменится.

choice of games make awesome games, but i found myself finishing this in 15 minuites not worth, too short[the others ae usually much much much, longer]

Another good game from CoG ;) Empire, magic, battles, lovers and travels)) Interestin' mix of culture and story. Too bad that Petal Throne - short novel.. i wanna more!